Cherished Agony
by Moon's Tear
Summary: While getting her morning coffee an unsuspecting Kate is kidnapped and terrorized. Who is her captor and what does he want? Please review!
1. Darkness Descends

**Cherished Agony**

While getting her morning coffee an unsuspecting Kate is kidnapped and terrorized. Who is her captor and what does he want? Gibbs and the team work frantically to save her from the imminent danger. Please review!

Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS or any of the characters, although I occasionally inhibit Kate's mind in an NCIS role-play. I also think I have some better ideas than DPB.

Chapter 1: Darkness Descends

The bullpen was filled with the usual noises of the morning. The phones were ringing, keyboards were being attacked with vigor and exasperated groans emanated from those trying to catch a breath in between tasks. Kate glanced around the bullpen and found Gibbs behind his desk poring over a case file, Tony on the phone with his newest conquest and McGee messaging back and forth with Abby down in the lab. There was no new case material, so Kate got up to stretch her legs.

"Why don't I go out and get us some coffee?" Kate suggested.

The team considered her offer and they slowly agreed.

"Just be quick about it," Gibbs ordered.

Kate inclined her head and turned on her heel to leave the bullpen. She made sure to take all of her personal belongings so that Tony wouldn't be inclined to pilfer through her things. Kate took the elevator down to the lobby and walked out of the building into the springtime sun. The early morning dewdrops still glistened and coruscated on the lush blades of grass of the NCIS HQ lawn. Kate walked the three blocks down the street to DC Beans. She quickly ordered all of their coffees and walked outside again.

Kate didn't notice the unmarked black van following her down the street. All she noticed was a slight pickup in the breeze and the lone cloud that had suddenly obscured the sun. The sudden change in the atmosphere set the hairs standing on the back of her neck and chilled her a little. Kate shivered and quickly shook off the feeling of foreboding. She picked up her pace a little bit and continued down the quiet street toward NCIS headquarters.

Kate was rounding the second last corner on her way back to NCIS when she heard the opening of a car door. She spun around and barely had time to register what was going on before a cloth covered her mouth and nose and she felt faint. Kate lost consciousness quickly and was dragged into the van. Her captor gently stroked her cheek as they sped away from the scene and off down the highway. Once they reached their chosen destination, Kate's captor carefully picked her up and carried her inside.

Back at NCIS headquarters, Gibbs glanced at his watch yet again. Kate had been gone over an hour for coffee. There were still no new cases, but he needed her there to pick up some of the slack with their paperwork. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Kate's number. The phone rang four times before he was connected to her voicemail. After leaving a harsh voicemail, Gibbs hung up and growled unsatisfactorily. Where the hell was she? If she had gotten caught up somehow she would have called. Gibbs sighed and returned to his paperwork. A few moments later the silence was broken.

"Where's Kate with that coffee?" Tony wondered aloud.

"Maybe she's just taking the road back slower. It's nice outside and the thought of coming back here to this paper work is pretty depressing. I'd be taking my time, too," McGee suggested.

Gibbs looked up and glared at McGee for a long moment. McGee swallowed thickly and averted his eyes.

"Sorry boss," he apologized.

Gibbs thought that McGee was probably on to something, but it still didn't feel right. Kate was a responsible agent. She wouldn't just take an extended break without letting him know, first.

Kate regained consciousness and tried to look around groggily. Her attempts were made in vain which she realized as soon as she opened her eyes. She was blindfolded and, it appeared, that she was also tied to the chair on which she was sitting. She tried to pull herself free and shake the blindfold off, but to no avail. Kate stopped moving completely when she sensed another person in the room. Her captor walked over and crouched down beside her, laying a hand to rest delicately on her shoulder as not to startle her.

"Caitlin, it's good to see you're finally awake. I'm sorry about the blindfold. I will remove it when the time is right. I've restrained you so that you didn't hurt yourself when you regained consciousness and were startled by the change in scenery. Unfortunately you had to be chloroformed. I knew that you wouldn't come quietly. I'm going to untie you now, but I want you to keep the blindfold on," her captor explained.

Kate nodded briskly, grudgingly. Her captor deftly untied the knots that were burning into her wrists and grasped her hands in his. Kate only then realized that she was no longer wearing her jacket. She shivered slightly and took a deep breath as she felt a chill pass over her bare arms. Kate was extremely nervous. Without her sight she didn't know where she was, who she was with or what was happening around her. The chloroform still burned her throat and made everything sound distant. She recognized her captor's voice but couldn't quite place it. Her mind was cloudy from the chloroform and it made her head spin. Her captor held her hands in his and ran a thumb over the raw skin where the rope had burned her flesh. Kate pulled away and tried to reach for her gun. It was no longer in the holster at her hip. She knew it wouldn't be there, but it was a reflexive action. She placed her hands in her lap and willed herself not to scream.

"I'm sorry, Caitlin. I had to take your SIG Sauer so that you wouldn't try anything. Just relax for a moment. I won't hurt you, Caitlin. Slow your racing heart. I know your throat is sore from the chloroform so I've got a glass of water here for you," her captor said softly.

Kate held out her hand and a glass of water was placed there for her. She took a tentative sip before swallowing a few mouthfuls. Her throat felt soothed by the cool fluid. She placed the glass back in her captor's outstretched hand and tried harder still to place the voice. She cleared her throat and broke the terse silence.

"Who are you and where am I?" Kate asked.

"In due time, Caitlin," her captor replied.

"What do you want with me?" She inquired.

"It's nothing personal, Caitlin. I just want to watch agent Gibbs suffer without knowing if you're going to live or die for a while. It will be my revenge for the last time I encountered him, a sort of cherished agony. I thoroughly enjoy seeing agent Gibbs out of control. If you stay calm and follow my orders then I promise that you will remain unharmed and will be returned to agent Gibbs alive and well at the end of this ordeal," he elaborated.

"Could you at least remove the blindfold?" Kate snapped.

"Not quite yet, Caitlin. I will take it off once you've had the chance to calm down and take some of this in," her captor said lightly.

Gibbs sat at his desk and glanced at his watch for the thousandth time. It had been over three hours since Kate had gone to get coffee. Gibbs had tried her cell phone another few times and still hadn't gotten an answer. Her home phone wasn't being picked up, either. Gibbs gave an exasperated sigh and finally decided to take matters into his own hands. Gibbs stood up from his chair and moved to stand directly in front of McGee's desk.

"McGee! I want you to pull up the GPS screen and triangulate on Kate's cell phone the second it turns on. Tony, I want you to go out into the parking lot and check if her car is still here. Go to it!" Gibbs ordered.

In the meantime Gibbs racked his own brain for people who had it in for him or his team members. The only answer he found had already been discounted previously, but there was always a chance that he would come back and get his revenge. Gibbs sighed and headed up to the multiple threat assessment centre to speak with director Morrow.

Tony headed out of the NCIS building after having time to think to himself in the elevator. Gibbs was obviously worried about Kate and Tony had no idea whether it would be a better answer to say Kate's car was still there or not. The last time Gibbs had gotten in this kind of a mood was over Kate, too. It had been when Ari had kidnapped her for information about Marine One. This time, however, Tony doubted that the Hamas terrorist was up to his old tricks. No, this was something more personal. Tony noted that Kate's car was still in its parking space and he headed back upstairs.

Back in the bullpen McGee was still waiting for Kate's cell phone to turn on. The only fault in the logic of the GPS system was that it only worked when there was a working source of power in the corresponding system, such as Kate's phone. They sat around impatiently for a few minutes before Gibbs returned from MTAC.

"What did director Morrow say?" Tony inquired.

"Nothing," Gibbs snapped. "Do we have a location yet?"

"No boss," McGee replied.

"Kate's car is still in the parking lot," Tony replied.

Gibbs blue eyes turned even icier than either of the other agents were used to and the silence was suddenly deafening. At that same moment the shrill cry of the cell phone clipped to Gibbs' belt startled the entire team, less Gibbs himself. The senior agent quickly snatched up the phone and sighed with relief when he saw Kate's number on the display. He swiftly answered with a bark.

"Gibbs," he snarled.

"Hello agent Gibbs, it's good to hear from you again. I know you were probably expecting Caitlin, but she can't come to the phone at the present time. I just thought I would let you know that she's with me and she's alright," the captor said quietly.

"Let me talk to her you bastard," Gibbs instructed.

"I'm afraid not, agent Gibbs," the other man replied.

"I just want proof that she's okay," Gibbs said harshly.

Gibbs heard a sigh on the other end of the line before he heard Kate's voice.

"Gibbs? Listen, I'm fine and I'll be okay. Don't do anything stupid," Kate said hoarsely.

She sounded panicky. Gibbs heard her hyperventilating a little.

"Stay calm, agent Todd. Cooperate with him and try not to piss him off. I'll come and get you soon," Gibbs said lightly.

"I know," Kate replied.

At that moment the phone changed hands again.

"What do you want from me?" Gibbs asked.

"I just want to watch you pace like a caged tiger for a while, agent Gibbs," Kate's captor replied.

Damn it, why did that voice sound so familiar?

"I swear to God that if you hurt her you are going to wish you had never been born," Gibbs growled.

"As long as you listen to what Caitlin told you and don't do anything stupid than I shall have no reason to harm her," the man replied.

Gibbs heard the familiar click as the other man hung up. Gibbs followed suit before letting rip with a volley of well placed curses. So someone had managed to kidnap Kate. Again. What was it with her and bad luck? Gibbs then resolved to keep a guard on her at all times in the future even if he had to do it himself.

Kate heard the end of the conversation and wondered what was to come. Since the drug had worn off she had no idea how long she had been away from the office. It could have been hours, it could have been days. All she knew was that she had to stay alive. Gibbs would come for her, she knew it. He would die for her if the need arose. However, Kate sincerely hoped that wouldn't be the case. A moment later Kate felt her captor's presence beside her once again. He placed a hand on her back and leaned closer to whisper to her.

"Come, Caitlin, I'll take you to another room where you will be more comfortable," he said softly.

Kate allowed herself to be helped up out of the chair and led down a long hallway. Her legs were still weak with the after effects of the chloroform. The two of them turned a corner and Kate was led over to the far side of the room. Her captor helped her settle herself blindly on a plush couch. She felt the pressure on the sofa change as he took a seat beside her.

"Why don't you try to get some rest and sleep off the chloroform? I'll give you something to help you relax," her captor said.

Before Kate could protest she felt a sting as a needle was driven deep into her upper arm and a burning as some kind of a drug was injected into her flesh. Her captor quickly withdrew the needle and lightly brushed a hand over the now reddened skin. Kate felt herself getting sleepy almost immediately.

"Just relax and let the drug take effect. I promise you'll feel better once you wake up. Goodnight and sleep tight, Caitlin," her captor whispered.

Kate tried her best to fight the fog that was beginning to obscure her senses. She shivered slightly as the cool room air settled over her skin and felt a warmth sweep over her as the drug took further effect. Her captor covered her with a soft blanket and stroked her cheek as she was lulled into a deep sleep. Soon Kate had completely lost her resolve to the beckoning darkness as slumber settled into her bones and sprouted roots in her brain. The last thing she felt was a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder from her captor. After that, Kate Todd felt no more.

Kate's captor watched as she was lulled into sleep by the sedative he had given her. It would be easier for her to cope while she slept. He sat by her and watched to ensure that she was protected from the nightmares that would plague her in her sleep. She was beautiful, that was for sure, but he wasn't going to act on any kind of a physical impulse. He respected her as an agent and as a woman. Besides, it wasn't his style. All he wanted was her understanding and her compassion. It would have been easy in their first meeting if she had been able to see past his countenance and into his soul through the kind eyes she was faced with. No, she was too smart for that and he knew it. All he could do was watch her sleep and hope that they could get better acquainted when she finally awoke again. He gently stroked her cheek and ran his hand down her neck. He could feel her pulse drift slowly near her collarbone. She was at peace as she slept.

At the same time, Kate's male counterparts all worried for her safety. They would have worried more, however, if they didn't know that she could handle herself in a hostage situation. She was just as good as any of them would be in her place, maybe even better than some. Gibbs finished his ninth cup of coffee as he continued to stare at the screen, waiting for the GPS to pick up a signal on her cell phone. They had all been too wrapped up in waiting to hear the news before that no one had noticed the location on the screen as the call was made regarding her situation. Now all they could do was wait and hope that the next time they would be able to think more clearly. Only time would tell if Kate was to survive this time or not. After all, there had been some pretty close calls in the past. However, Gibbs promised himself that he would to everything in his power to postpone the inevitable.

Tony paced nervously around the bullpen. He realized that there was no sense in wearing a hole in the floor. His head snapped up as he heard the elevator door open and saw Ducky step out with Abby hot on his heels. The duo walked over to the waiting trio and joined in the looking somber they all partook in.

"Any news about Caitlin?" Ducky asked.

"Nothing since the phone call," Gibbs replied.

"You've got to have some idea who did this. You're Gibbs, after all. You're never completely in the dark about these things," Abby said weakly.

All of the usual humor and effervescence in her voice had been replaced with melancholy and quickly fading hope.

"My only idea can almost surely be discounted. I've already talked to the director and I've got MTAC looking up the whereabouts on our suspect. The last we heard he was stationed out in the Middle East and being accused by Al Qaeda of espionage. Are you getting the hint yet?" Gibbs asked.

"Ari," Ducky and Tony said simultaneously.

"Right in one," Gibbs snapped.

The team all strongly suspected that it was a dead end. After all, if Al Qaeda had gotten a hold of any classified information on Ari then he was most probably either dead or being held in a POW camp somewhere. Besides, after the last time Ari knew not to tangle with Gibbs. The whole team sighed collectively and prayed a silent blessing for Kate. They all hoped that the nightmare would end quickly and happily.

There were only hope and cautious optimism, though.

* * *

_A.N.: Honestly? I don't know where this idea came from. I have learned, though, that typing is very difficult with two sprained, splinted fingers. I've still managed to finish this! So now tell me, what do you think of the first chapter? Can you guess who our captor is? Please review! Thanks! -Julia-_


	2. Waiting To Exhale

**Cherished Agony**

While getting her morning coffee an unsuspecting Kate is kidnapped and terrorized. Who is her captor and what does he want? Gibbs and the team work frantically to save her from the imminent danger. Please review!

Disclaimer: We've been through this, NCIS is not mine!

Chapter 2: Waiting to Exhale

Gibbs took a swig of his coffee as he looked at the report printed on the plasma screen with Ari's picture staring back at him. Chances were high that the bastard was dead but Gibbs couldn't help being hopeful. After all, Kate had profiled Ari and from what he'd heard, Ari wasn't interested in causing her harm. Anyone else on the other hand… It had been two days since Kate had been kidnapped and still they were getting nowhere. The captor hadn't called again and they weren't getting a GPS on Kate's cell phone. Stakes were high and hope was becoming scarce. Gibbs spent his days and nights waiting with bated breath for more news. At that moment, director Morrow entered the multiple threat assessment centre and placed himself right next to Gibbs.

"Any news?" Gibbs asked.

"Ari Haswari was reported MIA sixty eight days ago near Zakhu, Iraq. We believe his cover was blown and he was taken hostage for espionage by Al Qaeda terrorists in the middle of a trade conference. We believe he is being held in a POW camp near Rayat. At best we expect he is going to be held and interrogated until he gives them what information they need and then will be killed. Our people overseas are trying to intervene but the insurrection is growing more powerful with each day and with each day there is a smaller chance that we will get any of the hostages or even our own men back alive," director Morrow explained.

Gibbs took another swig of his coffee while he contemplated.

"Damn it," he snarled.

Gibbs turned on his heel and tossed his coffee cup in the trash before leaving MTAC. He stormed back to his desk and dropped into his chair in a fury. The director had taken more hope from him and things looked like they had taken a turn for the worse. The rest of the team looked at Gibbs for a moment, waiting for the senior agent to speak.

"We can almost certainly discount Ari," Gibbs said simply.

There was a collective groan from other agents at the news. The team continued to think of what else could be done to bring Kate back to them as they waited for a phone call, a signal on the GPS, anything that would indicate where she was and how she was.

Kate groaned as she tried to move her stiff muscles. She was momentarily disoriented but she soon remembered that she had been taken captive some time ago and was now being held. She shook herself awake and realized that she was still wearing a blindfold and lying on the same plush couch that she had found herself on the last time she was conscious. Kate wondered how long she had been asleep. Kate felt a sting on her upper arm and remembered being drugged earlier. She reached for the blindfold but her hand was stopped by who she was sure was her captor. He gently forced her hand back down into her lap.

"Good morning Caitlin. I'm sorry; I can't allow you to remove your blindfold yet. Later today you will be able to, I promise you that. How did you sleep?" He inquired.

"Fine. What time is it?" Kate asked.

"It is noon and you've been here with me for two days. The drug seems to have had a stronger effect on you than I had anticipated," her captor replied.

Kate willed herself not to scream. She wondered whether Gibbs had given up any hope, or if he was fighting harder than ever to find her. She wondered if he had figured out who this bastard was yet.

"Have you been in contact with Gibbs?" Kate queried.

"Not since that first phone call. I want him to worry a little bit. I want him to think about what is happening to you. I want him to lose sleep over this. I want him to know what it's like to live each day not knowing what you'll face next," he answered.

Kate willed herself not to cry. She knew Gibbs must be going stir crazy and the team would be suffering his wrath. She wished that none of this had ever happened. She was a special agent, for God's sake! She should have been able to defend herself and fight this bastard off! Instead she found herself in a hostage situation for the third time since the start of her career with the NCIS. She breathed in a shaky breath and let it out slowly in hopes of finding some answers in the exchange but to no avail.

"Can we please take this blindfold off? I don't have my gun so I can't defend myself, I know that if I run you'll just drug me again and you know I don't want that to happen. I'm a profiler so I know you don't want to hurt me and in turn I won't hurt you. You've taken my phone so I can't get a hold of Gibbs anyway. I've done everything that you've asked of me so please untie the blindfold. I just want to be able to look around again," Kate reasoned.

She heard her captor exhale as he contemplated it. After a moment she felt the pressure on the sofa change as her captor stood. She could feel the warmth emanate from his body as he walked beside her and to the opposite side of the sofa. He reached up and slowly untied the knot holding the blindfold in place. Kate closed her eyes so that the sunlight she felt creeping over her body would not blind her at first. She felt the blindfold fall away and felt the first rush of cool air over her eyes since she had been walking back to NCIS from DC Beans. Kate slowly opened her eyes, squinting the sun out of them at first. As soon as she had adjusted to the lighting Kate slowly turned around to look at her captor. Her mouth dropped and she had to fight the urge to scream when she saw his face for the first time since the beginning of this ordeal. Memories of the last time flooded back as she tried to cope with everything. She could almost feel herself closing off. She had realized that her plea to take the blindfold off was Tony's classic Stockholm syndrome. Gibbs was going to be furious when he finally figured this one out.

Gibbs was on his fourth cup of coffee by the time McGee suggested that they retrace the route that Kate would have taken to DC Beans and back to look for anything that might help them identify the kidnapper. Tony coupled an idea with it; to interview prospective witnesses. Gibbs and Tony headed out while McGee stayed behind to watch the plasma for any signs of Kate's GPS. Gibbs and Tony returned a few hours later no better off than when they had started. All they knew was that Kate had actually made it to the coffee shop and headed out soon after she had picked up their order. Gibbs sat in the chair behind his desk and pounded a fist on the hard surface in frustration. His action did nothing aside from startle the two younger agents and drawing the attention of the other staff members mulling around the bullpen.

"We'll get her back, boss," Tony said in commiseration.

"You're damn right we will, DiNozzo," Gibbs snapped.

Gibbs silently prayed that Kate was alright. After all, no news was good news, was it not? He would have given his life to be sure that one of his own was safe. He would have given his dominant hand to be in her place. He hated worrying. Everyone hated when Gibbs worried because chances were that they would be on the receiving end of his wrath. The only thing that Gibbs hated more than being worried was being helpless. There was nothing that could be done without witnesses and without a GPS trace. Gibbs sat back in his chair and let out a breath which in turn eased some of the stress.

Kate continued to stare at her captor. It was ironic that Stockholm syndrome had come to mind before. Kate finally found her voice and spoke.

"I thought we had settled this the last time," Kate said hoarsely.

"I told you, Caitlin, this isn't personal. I just wanted to have the last laugh with agent Gibbs," her captor replied.

"You could have taken Tony, or Abby. Why me?" Kate inquired.

"He cares the most about you, Caitlin. He couldn't forgive himself if he lost you. I also figured that since we are already acquainted it would make the transition easier," her captor explained.

"The last I heard you were MIA in Iraq," Kate said simply.

"I was taken hostage by Al Qaeda terrorists and held in a POW camp. A few weeks ago they sent a single guard to bring me to the interrogation room. I managed to overpower him and take his uniform. I escaped from the camp and caught a priority ride back to the United States with a private airline. I was tortured at the camp and decided that my mission was to blame on agent Gibbs. After a few weeks of careful planning I decided that this was the best revenge," Kate's captor capitulated.

Kate stared at Ari in awe. She couldn't help but sympathize. Being held prisoner did strange things to a person. Kate decided that being hostile in her situation would only serve to further press the feeling of isolation on Ari and that would prove detrimental to her situation and his coping. She was already notorious for bonding with victims, why not further her reputation?

Ari's gaze burned into Kate and he saw some of her walls come down. The last thing that he wanted was for her to feel threatened. However, it was the impression that he wanted to give Gibbs and the team so that he could feel the satisfaction of inflicting that kind of agony on someone instead of taking the brunt of it for a change. Ari was snapped from his pondering when Kate spoke.

"In all of this time I haven't had the chance to say I'm sorry for what has happened," Kate said softly.

"It wasn't your fault Caitlin," Ari replied.

"No, not directly," Kate said lightly.

"Again I'm sorry I had to do this, but you are a profiler, surely you can understand my motives," Ari said.

Kate looked at him in commiseration. Ari gave her a slight smile that she couldn't quite place.

"Why don't you walk around the house and stretch your legs a little. I know you won't try anything, but I have locked down all of the doors and windows, just in case. I'll see you in the dining room for lunch in a little while," Ari suggested.

Kate didn't even have to consider his suggestion. She stood up and almost fell straight back onto the couch. Her legs didn't seem to be in perfect shape after pulling a sleeping beauty for two days, but she would manage. Kate found her way around the first floor quickly and found a staircase leading up to the second storey. She took the steps one at a time, holding onto the banister the whole time. Once she reached the second floor landing she was hit by a wave of sunlight as the sun reappeared from behind a cloud. It was a beautiful day outside. Kate walked down the long hallway toward the window on the other side. She stared out at the wooded area below and wondered if Gibbs would ever find her. He had promised, but from where she stood it literally looked like finding a needle in a haystack.

Kate spent a few more seconds staring wistfully out of the window before turning down the hallway and locking herself in a large private bathroom. She stared at her pale reflection in the mirror. Kate let a single tear slide down her cheek. Why did this keep happening to her? She quickly wiped the tear away and decided that she wouldn't let herself be weak. Kate splashed some cold water on her face to wake herself up and let the droplets drip off of her jaw in rivulets. After a few more minutes she decided that she had to face what was beyond the door at some point and so she left the bathroom. Taking the same path to get back downstairs Kate quickly found the dining room.

Gibbs was beginning to go stir crazy. This waiting, the helpless, senseless waiting was beginning to eat away at his resolve. Gibbs would go out and comb every inch of the United States over with a toothbrush if he had to in order to find Kate. This game was beginning to get really old, really fast. He wanted to take his SIG and fire right between Ari's eyes. Those lying, cheating, deceitful eyes. The rest of the team was beginning to worry about Gibbs. They could see that he was on the verge. Of what exactly, they couldn't say, all they knew was that it wouldn't take much more of this to push him into enemy territory. At that moment the familiar ding of the elevator could be heard and Ducky soon loomed into view around the corner. He was the only one who could reason with Gibbs when he was in this state.

Kate walked across the threshold and sat down in a chair across the table from Ari. She stared at him and wondered how she had ever found kindness in his eyes. Warmth, sure, but kindness was a bit of a stretch. She stared at the pasta sitting in front of her and felt sick.

"Try the pasta, Caitlin. You haven't eaten in two days, your body needs nourishment," Ari commented.

"I'm not hungry," Kate said lightly.

Ari nodded and instead raised his glass.

"A toast, to agent Gibbs," Ari said.

Kate just stared at him across the table. After he had lowered his glass she picked up her own and took a few tentative sips. She only then realized how thirsty she really was. The water soothed her dry lips and cooled her body as she swallowed the glassy liquid. Ari gazed at her with intense fascination. She was a vastly intriguing woman and he hoped that she would let him in to see a little bit of the real Kate in the time he would have with her. Ari knew that Gibbs would find them soon enough, if he cared to look hard enough, which he undoubtedly did.

It was only a matter of time. In the meantime, everyone was waiting to exhale the stagnated breaths they were holding…

* * *

_A.N.: Okay, so I had this finished a couple of days ago. I've been having some problems, with In any case, here it is! Kudos to those who guessed Ari. I think I may have dropped too many hints there. Oh, well. Thanks for reading! Please review! -Julia-_


	3. Harder to Breathe

**Cherished Agony**

While getting her morning coffee an unsuspecting Kate is kidnapped and terrorized. Who is her captor and what does he want? Gibbs and the team work frantically to save her from the imminent danger. Please review!

Disclaimer: Let's face the music, shall we? I don't own NCIS and never will. Oh, well, neither do you, so we can suffer together.

Chapter 3: Harder to Breathe

"_You can't identify with your captor in a couple of hours," Kate said incredulously._

"_Sure you can, Kate. It's classic Stockholm syndrome," Tony replied._

The conversation echoed in Kate's mind. She tried to look at her situation from a clinical point of view, that way there was a smaller chance of her getting in over her head. Kate stared out the second floor window into the oncoming twilight. She had been MIA for going on nine days. Ari hadn't done anything to make her fear for her safety, but there was an ominous film clinging to her like a second skin. She spent most of her time in that window trying to distance herself from the circumstances. It was a coping mechanism. Kate was beyond tears. All she wanted was to go home to her own bed and collapse among her overstuffed pillows and down duvet. She tried her best not to think about Ari. She knew that if she did, she would end up doing something stupid. That was not something she could afford to do in her situation.

Meanwhile Gibbs stood in his basement, punching more holes into the now almost shredded picture of Ari he had pinned to his dart board. Kate had been missing for longer than ever before. Gibbs was beginning to wonder if he'd ever see her again. No, he wouldn't let himself think like that. He would get her back if it meant trading his own life for hers. Gibbs was getting increasingly pessimistic. He had never been an optimist, and this was certainly not the right time to be Panglossian, but his outlook was unusually somber, even for Gibbs.

Kate heard a voice calling her from somewhere downstairs. It was Ari, undoubtedly. She turned away from the window and walked down the stairs into the entrance hall. Ari was waiting for her in the living room. He was seated on one side of the couch and motioned for Kate to join him.

"Come, Caitlin, let us call agent Gibbs, let him know that you are still alive," Ari suggested.

Kate walked over to the other side of the room and hesitantly took her place on the couch beside Ari. Kate was uncomfortable, at best, but decided that if she was submissive then perhaps she could wake up from the nightmare sooner. Ari picked up Kate's cell phone and turned it on. He waited a few moments before speaking.

"Caitlin, you will undoubtedly notice that I am using your cellular phone rather than the house phone. You will also know that in the time it will take me to finish speaking your coworkers will have triangulated in on our location. Once they know where we are, they will be here in a matter of hours. I have decided that keeping you here any longer will neither benefit you nor amuse me. This is it, Caitlin. Why don't you just relax for a moment while I make the call," Ari suggested.

At first, Kate couldn't believe her good fortune. She was finally going to see everyone again. She would finally be free. Then, she the more rational part of her brain took over. Kate had to wonder. Was Ari really going to let her off the hook that easily? Was he going to kill her? Kate suddenly wished that it hadn't been so easy. At least that way the suspense wouldn't literally kill her. Kate watched Ari as he dialed Gibbs' number and waited for the other man to pick up.

Gibbs picked up his bottle of beer and took another swig. His aim was no less accurate than when he was sober. Each time Gibbs still managed to hit his choice of body part on the picture of Ari he had taped to his dart board. Suddenly, Gibbs' cell phone rang. He picked up on the first ring.

"Gibbs," he barked.

"Agent Gibbs, how good it is to hear your voice again," Ari said politely.

"Who is this," Gibbs growled menacingly.

"All in good time, agent Gibbs. First I want to tell you that I have decided to allow you to finally come and collect Caitlin," Ari stated.

"Where and when?" Gibbs asked apprehensively.

"Whenever you find the time to make it in to the office to check the GPS screen. I will leave Caitlin's cell phone turned on until the batteries run out, so you have plenty of time. The time is entirely up to you, agent Gibbs," Ari said lightly.

"Let me talk to her," Gibbs demanded.

Kate continued to stare at Ari as he talked to Gibbs. She willed herself not to cry. Kate was torn between euphoric joy at the fact that she would be seeing her team again soon and irrational fear that she wouldn't make it out of this alive. At that moment, Ari handed the phone to Kate.

"Agent Gibbs would like to speak with you," Ari said softly.

Kate took the phone and put it up to her face.

"Gibbs?" She asked tentatively.

"Kate, are you alright?" Gibbs asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," Kate replied.

"Good. We're coming to get you soon, I promise. Just hang on," Gibbs said firmly.

"I will," Kate said quietly.

"Let me talk to the bastard again, Kate," Gibbs instructed her.

Kate sighed shakily and handed the phone back to Ari. He took it from her grasp and put it back up to his own face.

"Yes, agent Gibbs?" Ari inquired.

"I swear to God that if you do anything to hurt her before we come get her I will hunt you down and personally send you back under the rock from which you came," Gibbs threatened.

Ari laughed lightly.

"Tarry not, agent Gibbs. I promise that no harm will come to agent Todd," Ari replied. "Goodbye for now."

Ari put the phone down and hung up on Gibbs. True to his word, he left the phone on. Ari turned to look up at Kate.

"How does it feel to know you are finally going home?" Ari asked.

Kate stared at him blankly for a moment before finding it in herself to reply.

"I don't know. That depends on whether or not you actually plan on letting me go home," Kate said indifferently.

"I assure you Caitlin that this time you are really free to go, no strings attached. I won't bother you any longer after this," Ari said honestly.

Kate sighed. She had believed it before and look where it had gotten her. Would she really be free to go this time?

Meanwhile, Gibbs had phoned the team, gotten dressed, gotten in his car, grabbed a cup of coffee and made it down to NCIS headquarters in all in the span of less than twenty minutes, breaking several traffic regulations and almost mowing down numerous pedestrians along the way. When he reached NCIS headquarters he only had to wait a few minutes for the rest of the team to arrive. He didn't explain why he wanted them all out of their pajamas, into their work clothes and ready for action at NCIS as soon as possible, so they were all curious when they arrived.

"McGee, pull up the GPS screen and triangulate in on Kate's cell phone. Tony, gas the truck. Abby, run another voice recognition on the conversation saved on this phone. Ducky, you're coming with us just in case this bastard decides to break his promise and Kate needs medical attention. Come on, hop to it!" Gibbs instructed.

"On it boss!" McGee, Tony and Abby all said simultaneously.

"God I need more coffee," Gibbs growled to himself. "I'll meet you downstairs, Duck."

Ducky nodded and headed off towards the garage as Gibbs went to refill his coffee cup. Sure, office coffee tasted like sludge, but at this point Gibbs couldn't care less as long as it was caffeinated. Gibbs quickly made his way downstairs, grabbing his SIG out of the top drawer of his desk on the way out. Gibbs walked into the garage and got into the truck next to Tony and Ducky.

"Drive, DiNozzo," Gibbs ordered.

Tony nodded and pulled out of the garage. Gibbs fiddled with the GPS screen in the truck and connected it to the main GPS back at NCIS. Tony watched the dot blink on the screen as he drove. It looked like they were in for a fairly long drive. Gibbs pulled Tony's cell phone out of the younger agent's pocket and dialed McGee's private line. The young agent picked up immediately.

"Yeah boss?" McGee inquired.

"What kind of a situation are we looking at?" Gibbs asked.

"Well boss, Kate's being held at a cabin just east of Salem, Oregon. The cabin is owned by a lieutenant commander Mathias Jawhari. He was a naval pilot and was given a dishonorable discharge two years ago for a friendly fire incident during training. He bought the cabin a year ago and has kept up to date with all of the utility bills. Criminal record check came up clean," McGee relayed.

"Good work, McGee," Gibbs replied. "Run a license plate check on his applications, just in case we need it later."

He hung up and sat back trying to ease his nerves as they drove. Gibbs prayed that the bastard who had Kate was going to be a man about it. Gibbs had recognized the voice on the phone but not the name. Of course he could have forgotten a name, but Gibbs doubted that there was any margin of human error present with him. Gibbs flipped open the cell phone again and called Abby. The lab tech picked up half way through the fourth ring. Gibbs could hear the loud distorted music in the background.

"Abby, turn that music down!" Gibbs shouted into the receiver.

He heard the music soften noticeably as the lab rat complied.

"Thank you," he said lightly.

"What do you need, boss man?" Abby inquired.

"Have you gotten any results on that analysis yet?" Gibbs asked.

"I've run it through twice already and there's too much interference. It's hard to run a voice recognition on a cell phone conversation, Gibbs. I'll try again but I'm not promising anything. I've run a few of the snippets through the system and haven't gotten an answer yet, so don't hold your breath," Abby explained.

"Okay, thanks anyway Abbs," Gibbs replied.

He shut off the phone and slipped it back into Tony's jacket pocket as they drove. Gibbs unconsciously had one hand poised on the SIG Sauer at his hip, ready to fire at any moment. He didn't now if he could make it all the way to Salem before killing someone.

Kate sat on the couch, watching the second hand of the click slink by. It was going so slowly that Kate could have sworn it had stopped or even gone backwards. Ari would walk through the living room occasionally as he packed some things and carried his bags out to the car. Kate decided that this was it. One way or another, this part of the whole ordeal was over. Kate sat on the couch, unmoving, for another hour. Ari came into the room, carrying something behind his back. Kate couldn't see what it was. All of the muscles in her body tensed up in anticipation. Ari sat down on the couch beside her and reached one hand around, laying it on his knee.

"Well, Caitlin, this is it. I must be going now. This is where I leave you. When agent Gibbs comes for you please, give him my regards, won't you?" Ari stated.

He reached out a hand and Kate took it. They broke the handshake and Kate looked down at her hands, which were knotted in her lap. Ari put a hand on her shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. Kate didn't even see him pull out a syringe full of sedative. He quickly jabbed it into her upper arm and pulled away before she could fight back. Ari didn't want Kate watching him as he drove away. If she got the license plate numbers off of the car he had he may as well kiss his freedom goodbye. This way, by the time Kate was awake and well enough to speak again Ari would be south of the border and sipping tequila on a beach somewhere in Mexico. Kate hissed in pain and grabbed her arm.

"What the hell was that?" She asked Ari.

"Just a little something to help you sleep. It will make the time until agent Gibbs arrives go by faster. Goodbye now, Caitlin," Ari said warmly.

"Go to hell," Kate spat angrily.

Ari smiled at her as she drifted off into unconsciousness. Ari brushed a stray strand of hair back from Kate's face and kissed her lightly on the cheek. He left the room without a backward glance and drove off into the night.

Tony drove well over the speed limit and it still took them several hours to reach the cabin. Once they arrived, Gibbs was the first one out of the truck. Tony shut off the ignition and joined him outside. Gibbs had his headset on, as did Tony and Ducky.

"Duck, I want you to stay there and out of sight until I give you the all clear. Tony, I need you to cover me. I'm going in first," Gibbs instructed.

He saw the younger agent nod and heard Ducky's affirmative reply. Gibbs approached the front door and realized all of the lights in the house were turned off with the exception of what he took to be the living room light. Gibbs signed the count of three to Tony and broke down the door. The two of them made their way through the house, looking for Kate's captor. They checked the entire first floor and there were no signs of life. At first glance neither of them noticed an unconscious Kate slumped over on the couch. Gibbs headed upstairs while Tony headed down to the basement and together they checked the remainder of the house. It was completely empty.

"All clear down here, boss," Tony relayed.

"Clear up here, too," Gibbs replied.

He switched off his microphone and walked around the second storey, calling Kate's name. Tony did the same on the main floor. The young agent walked around the house and found no signs of his female counterpart until he reached the living room. Tony found Kate unconscious on the sofa and knelt down next to her, trying to rouse her.

"Come on Kate, wake up!" Tony encouraged.

He tried a few more times, unsuccessfully, to wake Kate up from her deep sleep. Tony quickly checked her pulse at the neck and was relieved to find it strong and steady. It was then that he noticed the syringe still partly full of a cloudy liquid on the table. Tony flipped his headset back on and spoke into it.

"Gibbs, I found Kate," Tony began.

"Where are you? How is she?" Gibbs asked.

"I'm down in the living room. It looks like she's been drugged, boss, she's alive but she won't wake up," Tony relayed.

"I'm on my way," Gibbs said to Tony.

As Gibbs walked downstairs, he changed the frequency on his headset to match Ducky's.

"Hey Duck, we need you in the house. The coast is clear. Tony found Kate and she's unconscious. He said it looked like she had been drugged," Gibbs explained.

"I'm on my way, Jethro," Ducky replied.

Ducky grabbed his bag and rushed toward the house. He stepped in through the remains of the splintered doorframe and walked into the living room where Tony and Gibbs had gathered around Kate's lifeless form. Ducky immediately checked her pulse and much like Tony was relieved to find it stable. He lifted her eyelids and examined her pupils. At least it seemed that she hadn't been poisoned by any sort of common street narcotic.

"Wake up, Caitlin," Ducky coaxed.

The other two agents watched Ducky as he tried to rouse Kate from her slumber. The older man pulled out a blood pressure cuff and his stethoscope. He wrapped it around Kate's arm and took the measurement. He folded the equipment away again and turned to face the agents.

"Her blood pressure is low and her breathing is slightly suppressed. She should be fine once she wakes up. However, I can't be sure of when that will be. Anthony, may I ask why you suspected that Caitlin had been drugged?" Ducky inquired.

"I found that," Tony replied, pointing to the needle on the coffee table.

Ducky's brow furrowed in concern as he examined the remaining contents of the syringe. There were only a few sedatives with the same distinct milky color as the one contained in the phial. Ducky sighed.

"From the looks of this she was given a rather high dosage of triptophan, a sedative used mainly to suppress enraged psychotic patients. It might be as much as a few days before our young Caitlin wakes up," Ducky explained.

"Is there anything we can do for her? Should we take her to the hospital?" Gibbs asked.

Ducky considered the questions for a moment.

"Unfortunately there is no way to get the drug out of her system any faster. If we took her to the hospital she would only wake up and be more traumatized. You know our Caitlin. I think the best thing would be to take her back to NCIS and have Abby watch her for a few days. I would come by regularly to make sure nothing was wrong. The only thing a hospital stay would change would be the fact that she would be laying in a cold, sterile isolation room all alone rather than a more cozy bed surrounded by dear friends," Duck replied.

"Let's get her into the truck. Tony and I will look around a little longer and try to gather some evidence and we'll meet you back there in a while. Tony, why don't you carry Kate back to the truck," Gibbs suggested.

Tony nodded and stood up. He very carefully picked Kate up off of the couch and carried her slowly out to the truck. Once they got inside, Ducky sat down first and Tony carefully arranged Kate's lifeless body next to Ducky so the doctor could support her on the ride back. Tony returned to the house with Gibbs and the quickly, albeit meticulously collected all of the evidence they could find. Hairs, fibers, fingerprints and others all went into the investigation kit. Once they were finished, the two agents headed back to the truck. They drove off back to Washington.

Gibbs sat in the back with Ducky, supporting Kate from the other side as Tony drove. Gibbs had made it his mission to find out who this bastard was and what he had done to Kate. When he got his hands on whoever had captured Kate, Gibbs would do the unspeakable. He would kill the bastard and pick him apart on Ducky's slab personally, just so he could have the pleasure of weighing the bastard's liver. Gibbs could almost taste the revenge.

He would finally exact payback on the bastard that had caused him so much grief and when he did it would be the ultimate glory...

* * *

_A.N.: Thanks for your great reviews so far! I'm glad I have Ari's cadence down! I'm sorry there's not a lot of tormenting, but I can't stand writing stories like that. It's just not my style. Now then, moving along. How was that chapter? I know it took me forever to write, but I've had more stuff to deal with lately than I would have time to finish in five years. Seriously. Anyways, tell me what you think. I hope it was worth the wait! I made it longer than usual to make up for lost time. Please review! Thanks! -Julia-_


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